Charles g



(No Model.)

0. G. ARMSTRONG. STORAGE APPARATUS.

Patented May 4 UNTTnn STaTns PATENT Grates.

CHARLES G. ARMSTRONG, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-IIALF TO BENJAMIN IIYDE, OF SAME PLACE.

STORAGE APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 581,803, dated May 4, 1897.

A li ti fil d October 14:, 1895. Serial No. 565,562. (No model.)

To all 1071,0172 it may concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES G. ARMSTRONG, of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Storage Apparatus for Bicycles; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to an improved in cans for temporarily storing bicycles in buildings.

More specifically, the invention relates to an improved construction in a building by which the same is provided with a shaft or well extending through two or more floors of the same and also with an elevating and storing apparatus consisting generally of endless cables trained around upper and lower pulleys and provided with bicycle-holders arranged at intervals apart, whereby bicycles may be suspended within said shaft or well.

Among the objects of the invention are to provide a simple and practical construction in devices of the character referred to by means of which a relatively large number of bicycles may be stored within a building without occupying any considerable floor-space therein and in such manner as to afford easy and ready access thereto.

The invention consists in the matters hereinafter described, and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims, and the same will be more readily understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a view of a storage well or shaft, showing the inolosing front and rear walls thereof in vertical section and showing the arrangement of my improved storage apparatus therein. Fig. 2 is a similar view taken at right angles to that of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the storage apparatus arranged within the shaft.

As shown in said drawings, A A A designate horizontal joists or stringers, preferably the floor-joists, of a plurality of stories of a building arranged to extend across at opposite sides of a storage shaft or well B. Upon the upper and lower pairs of these stringers are mounted in suitable bearings O O horizontal transvcrsely-arranged shafts D D, each provided near each of its ends atpoints within the storage'shaft with pulleys or guide-wheels 5 5 E E E E, respectively, keyed rigidly thereon, so as to turn uniformly together with the shafts. The pulleys E and E are of a diameter at least somewhat greater than the height of an ordinary safety-bicycle and are each provided with a series of trunnion-recesses e 0, formed in the peripheries thereof at uniform intervals apart, the recesses of each pair of pulleys being arranged opposite each other, as indicated clearly in Fig.

F F designate'end less cables trained around the upper and lower pulleys E and E, so as to extend vertically and parallel with each other at opposite sides of the shaft.

G G designate a plurality of horizontal bars connected at each end with and arranged to extend between the cables F F, each supporting a depending bicycle-carrier or small platform, (designated as a whole by II.) Asa convenientand practical construction said cables F are constructed of linksffof uniform length, and the ends of which are united by means of hollow cylindric castings ff, provided centrall y at their opposite sides with eye-lugsf fi, with which the ends of the cable-links f f are engaged. These cylindric castings f are of proper exterior diameter, and the length of the links fare such as to cause said castings to fit within and engage the recesses e c of the pulley-wheels in the manner of a sprocketchain as the belts pass around said pulleys, thus serving to insure the uniform running of the said cables.

The ends of each of the bars G are provided with suitable journals g, which extend through the apertures of opposite pairs of castings f f, thus forming a revoluble support for said bars, permitting rotation of the castings around the latter as they are carried around the upper or lower pulleys, while the bars are held from rotation by the weight of the bicycle-carriers depending therefrom.

Each of the platforms or bicycle-earriers II as conveniently constructed comprises a board 11 somewhat shorter than the distance between the cables, supported at each end, so as to hang in horizontal position, by means of guy-rods h h, extending upwardly from the corners thereof to the supporting-bar G and connected with the latter rigidly, so as to hold said bar from rotation upon its own longitudinal axis. Suitable holders I I are mounted upon the platform H, adapted for engagement with the wheels of the bicycle, by means of which the latter may be held in upright posi tion, those herein shown consisting of the ordinary wire'holders now commonly in use for this purpose. p

In order that the bicycle may be placed centrally upon the platform and stand erect without interference with the supporting-bar D, the latter is offset throughout its central portion, as shown clearly in Fig. 3.

If deemed necessary, any suitable means may be employed for fastening the frame of the bicycle to the supporting-bar G, so as to prevent accidental displacement from the holders I I, a convenient form of securing device herein shown being a turn-button g suitably mounted upon the bar G at a proper point to pass between and engage, when turned, the two rear uprights of the bicycleframe, as indicated in Fig. 2.

Obviously any suitable motor may be em ployed for operating the apparatus, so as to bring the several platforms successively to a proper point for loading or unloading-as, for instance, opposite the door A on the level of the lower flooror the apparatus may even be operated by hand when of limited capacity or not heavily loaded. As herein shown, however, the main shaft D of the upper pair of pulleys E E is extended outwardly and provided with a worm-wheel D which is engaged and driven by means of a worm J, operated by a small electric motor of any common construction and designated as a whole by K.

A storage apparatus constructed as above described will obviously accommodate alarge number of bicycles and at the same time occupy but little space within a building, and this will usually be space that would otherwise be unavailable-such, for instance, as interior or unlighted space or the space extending from top to the bottom of a building adjacent to elevator-shafts. At the same time such an apparatus affords the most ready access to each one of the bicycles thus stored without disturbing any of the others, being in this respect much more convenient than the plan of storing in a horizontally-extended storage-space or on a floor. Inasmuch as in large office-buildings the carrying of bicycles in the passenger-elevators is objectionable and generally prohibited, and ground-floorspace in such buildings is so valuable as to prohibit the use of an apartment for storage purposes, the invention becomes one of importance.

The various details of construction may obviously be modified to-some extent without departing from the spirit of the invention, and I do not therefore wish to be limited to the precise details shown herein. The construction shown is, however, an exceedingly practical one, and as such is made the subject of specific claims.

I claim as my invention- 1. The combination with the walls and floors of a building, of walls forming a verticallyinclosed shaft extending through the several floors of the building and forming a storagespace for bicycles, an endless carrier in said shaft, comprising upper and lower pairs of pulleys, endless cables trained around said upper and lower pulleys at opposite sides of the shaft and arranged to travel positively with the pulleys, a plurality of supportingbars extending horizontally between said cables and connected therewith by means permittin g relative rotation, and bicycle-carriers depending from said bars, substantially as described.

2. The combination with the walls and floor of a building, of an inclosed storage-shaft extending vertically through the several floors thereof, of a storage apparatus for bicycles comprising upper and lower pulley-shafts extending transversely across the storageshaft and each provided with a pair of pulleys mounted rigidly thereon, endless cables trained around said pulleys and arranged to travel positively therewith, supporting-bars extending horizontally between the cables by means permitting relative rotation, bicyclecarriers depending from said supportin g-ba rs, each comprising a horizontal platform suspended at its ends by means of guys, means for securing a bicycle thereon, and mechanism for operating said apparatus comprising a wormwhcel operatively connected with one of the pulley-shafts, and an electric motor provided with a worm operatively engaged with said worm-wheel, substantially as described.

3. The combination with the walls and floors of a building, of an inclosed storage-shaft extending vertically through the several floors thereof, of a storage apparatus for bicycles, comprising upper and lower pulley shafts extending transversely across the storageshaft, and each provided with a pair of pulleys mounted rigidly thereon, endless cables trained around said pulleys and arranged to travel positively therewith, supporting-bars extending horizontally between the cables by means permitting relative rotation, bicyclecarriers depending from said supporting-bars, each comprising a horizontal platform suspended at its ends by means of guys, attached to the bars, said bars being offset throughout the principal portion of their length, means for securing the bicycle on the platform, and means for operating the apparatus, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I affix my signature, in presence of two witnesses, this 7th day of October, A. D. 1895.

CHARLES G. ARMSTRONG. 

